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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
"It's horror. It's all horror..."
Alan Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing series is the best. Although Book 4 was not my favorite, it was still an enjoyable read.
I kind of tune out when DC books get into the Crises stuff, and part of this book had to do with Crisis on Infinite Earths. This is a pretty Constantine-heavy book, which isn't a bad thing; I just wanted more Swamp Thing.
However, I did really enjoy the issues that were just about Swamp Thing-related stories. Abby was also barely in this book, and I wish she would have been around more. Swamp Thing is always a great read. These books are grim and always make me think. On to Book 5!
Alan Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing series is the best. Although Book 4 was not my favorite, it was still an enjoyable read.
I kind of tune out when DC books get into the Crises stuff, and part of this book had to do with Crisis on Infinite Earths. This is a pretty Constantine-heavy book, which isn't a bad thing; I just wanted more Swamp Thing.
However, I did really enjoy the issues that were just about Swamp Thing-related stories. Abby was also barely in this book, and I wish she would have been around more. Swamp Thing is always a great read. These books are grim and always make me think. On to Book 5!
A linear climax with grand scale, this epic of Swamp Thing is more esoteric and less pulpy.
This is where Moore's "American Gothic" storyline gets crushed under its own weight. While the previous volume was made up of standalone horror tales loosely linked by John Constantine's involvement and the promise of answers to come, this volume sees events come to an apocalyptic head. One issue is a direct tie-in with the then ongoing Crisis on Infinite Earths, and it's as of the bloated and unnecessarily convoluted plotting of the standard comics crossover event infects Moore's usually economically evocative writing.
Here's the big show down, what Constantine was prepping the Swamp Thing.
It's a pretty sweet setup and the way the story is told is so awesome.
I felt like it lost a little if the fun during the big fight. The additional characters were recognizable from previous volumes, but I didn't really care enough about them to make the end worth it.
It's still amazing and I love this series.
It's a pretty sweet setup and the way the story is told is so awesome.
I felt like it lost a little if the fun during the big fight. The additional characters were recognizable from previous volumes, but I didn't really care enough about them to make the end worth it.
It's still amazing and I love this series.
Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book Four collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #43-50.
In this volume, we finally find out what Constantine was grooming Swamp Thing for and it's a big hairy deal. A secret society is bent on summoning an ancient force to destroy heaven. There's also a junkie that finds one of Swamp Thing's tubers, a serial killer, the sprawling mansion of a firearms heiress, and Swamp Thing learns more of his heritage.
Alan Moore gets some serious mileage out of the Swamp Thing in every outing and this volume is no different. The Parliament of Trees is introduced, Crisis is touched upon, and even Mento gets his time in the sun as all of DC's occult characters unite to fight a menace older than time.
I'm impressed that with all the shifting artists in Moore's run that the series manages to maintain a unified feel. In this volume, art is handled by Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Stan Woch, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, Ron Randall, and Tom Mandrake.
Alan Moore delivers the goods as far as big confrontations go. At times, the final battle reminded me of one of the Doctor Who specials where multiple Doctors team up to face some universe-threatening villain.
I'm running out of ways to praise Alan Moore's run. Aside from Abbie Cable not doing much, the only thing I can gripe about is how out of place Batman was in the Bogey Man issue, although Batman not remembering being at Elasti-Girl and Mento's wedding was kind of funny.
I'm both excited to read the next volume and sad that I only have two volumes left. Alan Moore created a generational work with Swamp Thing. I can't recommend it enough.
In this volume, we finally find out what Constantine was grooming Swamp Thing for and it's a big hairy deal. A secret society is bent on summoning an ancient force to destroy heaven. There's also a junkie that finds one of Swamp Thing's tubers, a serial killer, the sprawling mansion of a firearms heiress, and Swamp Thing learns more of his heritage.
Alan Moore gets some serious mileage out of the Swamp Thing in every outing and this volume is no different. The Parliament of Trees is introduced, Crisis is touched upon, and even Mento gets his time in the sun as all of DC's occult characters unite to fight a menace older than time.
I'm impressed that with all the shifting artists in Moore's run that the series manages to maintain a unified feel. In this volume, art is handled by Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Stan Woch, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, Ron Randall, and Tom Mandrake.
Alan Moore delivers the goods as far as big confrontations go. At times, the final battle reminded me of one of the Doctor Who specials where multiple Doctors team up to face some universe-threatening villain.
I'm running out of ways to praise Alan Moore's run. Aside from Abbie Cable not doing much, the only thing I can gripe about is how out of place Batman was in the Bogey Man issue, although Batman not remembering being at Elasti-Girl and Mento's wedding was kind of funny.
I'm both excited to read the next volume and sad that I only have two volumes left. Alan Moore created a generational work with Swamp Thing. I can't recommend it enough.
The first half is a slog, 3 stars, and the latter half is pretty exciting, 4.5 stars. Put em all together and you get a deserved 4. This volume definitely has a different feel, with Constantine connecting Swamp Thing to plenty of other magical DC characters as a matter of course, not in one-off exceptions.
I just can't get enough of Alan Moore. I've never read anything of his that hasn't changed my world. From Hell is still probably my favorite, but Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and now Swamp Thing... the man is flawless.
I'm pretty sure this is my first five-star book in a long while, and I'm glad I haven't given anything else five stars because of how it would cheapen the ranking of this books. Looking over the last few volumes, you'll see that I gave it 3s and 4s, and that's largely because Alan Moore should really not be reviewed on an episodic basis. The man is a master at tying it all together at the end, and that makes the previous work in the series appear better in retrospect.
I feel like I don't want to reveal any more about it, except to say that this comic book about a swamp monster can change the way you see the world. Fucking read it.
I'm pretty sure this is my first five-star book in a long while, and I'm glad I haven't given anything else five stars because of how it would cheapen the ranking of this books. Looking over the last few volumes, you'll see that I gave it 3s and 4s, and that's largely because Alan Moore should really not be reviewed on an episodic basis. The man is a master at tying it all together at the end, and that makes the previous work in the series appear better in retrospect.
I feel like I don't want to reveal any more about it, except to say that this comic book about a swamp monster can change the way you see the world. Fucking read it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No